Cabinet with drawer and work board combination



y 1-949- D. LA BARRE 2,471,529

CABINET WITH DRAWER AND WORK BOARD COMBINATION Filed Feb. 19, 947

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Patented May 31, 194% CABINET WITH DRAWER AND WORK BOARD COMBINATION Dwight La Barre, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Borg- Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 19, 1947, Serial No. 729,551

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination drawer and work board assembly for a cabinet, or like article.

An object of the invention is to provide a drawer and work board assembly adapted to permit the ready and optional use of the board or drawer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drawer and work board assembly adapted to be incorporated in a cabinet, and the like, in such manner as to present an attractive and aesthetic appearance.

The further object of the invention is to provide a drawer and work board assembly in which the drawer is located above the board and provided with connecting means to efiect simultaneous movement of the drawer and board outwardly of the cabinet and thereafter alternate or optional use of the board and drawer.

My invention contemplates the drawer and work board connecting means as embodied in a tray, or other utility member, housed within and carried by the drawer.

The invention consists of the novel constructions, arrangements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as will appear from the following description of a certain preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the cabinet incorporating my novel board and drawer assembly, certain portions of the cabinet being broken away to more clearly disclose the invention; 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the drawer and board assembly shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a, sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several views. Referring now to the drawings, the illustrated cabinet, generally designated l0, comprises a top wall ll, spaced side walls l2, l2 and the front wall l3, said walls defining a compartment in the cabinet for the reception of a metallic drawer l4 and a wooden work or cutting board l5.

The board l5, as shown in Fig. 3, comprises and is provided with a block is at the front end thereof and connected thereto by a groove and tenonjoint H, the block I6 having a downwardly ex-.

tending portion I8 engaging the adjacent edge of the front wall I3 of the cabinet to limit inward movement of the board and is provided with a ".central hollow finger-receiving recess IQ for pulling the board outwardly of the cabinet. The board is slidably mounted at each of its bottom side edges by an angle support member 20 having one of its angularly disposed portions 2| secured by any suitable means to the adjacent side wall l2 and the other of said portions 22 affording a support for the board I5.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the metallic drawer 14 is disposed above the board l5 and comprises the side walls 23, 23, the rear wall 24, the bottom wall 25, and a front wall 26. The front wall 26, as shown in Fig. 3, is formed with the top and bottom thereof inwardly turned upon itself to provide substantially rectangular-section reinforcing beads 2'1, 27 which greatly add to the strength and rigidity of this wall. It will be noted from an examination of Fig. 2 that each of the side walls 23, 23 has its upper extremity formed to provide a laterally outwardly extending hollow guide rail 28, 28 for sliding engagement with guide portions 28a, 28a. of the side walls l2, [2 of the cabinet in conventional manner during inward and outward movement of the drawer relative to the cabinet. It may be noted that the rails 28, '28 of the drawer not only serve as guides for the drawer, but in addition add considerable strength to the thin metallic side walls of the drawer.

The guiding arrangement for the drawer Ill is such that the bottom wall of the drawer and the portion of drawer front wall 26 forming the bot- 80-tom head 21 are in spaced relation to the top of the board l5 so that the board and drawer are not in engagement and may freely move relatively to each other when desired.

' While having other uses, the drawer and work 5 board assembly is designed for use primarily in kitchen cabinets, in which a drawer and board are usually incorporated, and ordinarily the board is used for cutting bread, etc., by the housewife while the drawer is usually fitted with a tray, such as that shown at 29, for-tableware and bread, or other, cutting knives. In utilizing the board for cutting purposes, the housewife usually pulls the drawer outwardly from the cabinet to select a suitable knife and closes the drawer and thereafter-partially withdraws the board from the cabinet to perform the cutting operation.

In my improved cutting board and drawer assembly, the drawer and board iii are connected together for simultaneous movement by suitable connecting means so that upon outward movement of the assembly by the housewife, she may select the proper cutting knife and thereafter disconnect the board and drawer to permit ready and convenient access to the cutting board for the cutting operation. Referring now to Fig,

3, the connecting means comprises a cylindrical pin or post 30 secured to the bottom wall 3| of the tableware and cutting-knife tray 29 received within and engaging the side and bottom walls of the drawer l4, said pin projecting downwardly through an opening 32 in the bottom wall of the drawer, an opening 33 in a metallic plate 34 secured to the top of the board, and into a cylindrical socket or recess 35 in the board. To prevent and arrest the inadvertent complete displacement of the tray, a cotter pin 36 may be inserted in a transverse passage in the pin 31 It will be apparent that the pin thus eon-- nects the board and drawer so that upon reception of the finger of the housewifein the fingerreceiving hollow l9, the drawer and board assembly may be simultaneously moved outwardly of the cabinet, and thereafter returned to their original positions within the cabinet. .11; will be noted from a consideration of Fig. 3 that sumcient clearance is provided between the pin and a portion of the drawer wall 25 and plate 34 defining respective openings therein, as well as between the portions of the board defining the recess 35, so that the pin, while connecting the board for simultaneous outward and inward movement with respect to the cabinet, can be readily removed from the recess in theboard and the opening 33 in the plate 34 by grasping the-integral intu-rned finger piece 37oz the tray and raising the .front of the tray to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to permit disassembly of the board from the drawer, at which time theboard may be extended outwardly of the drawer, or the drawer may be pushed inwardly into the cabinet to permit the use of the board for cutting bread, etc.

The utility of my novel board .and drawer assembly is thus clearly evident as the assembly may be withdrawn from the cabinet to the posh tion shown in Fig. 1 to permit readyaccess to cutting knives, and the like, and thereafter the tray 26 may be lifted by its finger piece 31 to disconnect the drawer andtboard whereupon the cutting board can be pulled outwardly of the drawer or the drawer pushed inwardly into the cabinet to permit use of the board for the cutting or work operation. Upon completion of such operation, the board may be pushed toward the cabinet, and, upon alignment of the ;'pin with the recess 35 in the board, the pin will be automatically inserted therein by the "gravitational force exerted by the weight of the tray and its contents so that the drawer and board will be connected for simultaneous movementto their 3 original positions within the cabinet.

It will be apparent that, if desired, access to the drawermay be had for the purpose of extracting and inserting tableware carried in the tray without interference by the board. Also, the tray may be readily removed from thedrawer .for cleaning purposes as the cotter pin 36 may be withdrawn from the pin 30 .to permitdetach-ment of the tray and drawer. Furthermore, as-shownin Figs. 1 and 3. the visible exteriorbf the as sembly comprises vertical front wall of the drawer and the arcuate outer surface of the board is adapted to present an offset portion of the cabinet blending into thefront-wall or. the cabinet .to provide an attractive and aesth'etic appearance.

While I have shownmy novel work board and drawer assembly embodied in a kitchen cabinet, it will be evident that theassembly may beincorporated in cabinets utilized zfor otherpurposes and, therefore, the scope of my invention is to 4 be construed only as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a cabinet and the like having a compartment, and a drawer member slidable in said compartment; a work board member slidable in said compartment beneath said drawer member; means whereby said drawer and work board are independently supported within the cabinet for sliding movement; and means connecting said drawer member and board member for simultaneous movement, said means comprising devices on said drawer member and board member releasably engaged one with the other; and means accessible within said drawer member adapted to be manually operated to disengage said devices, whereby said drawer member and said board member are dis-connected to adapt either of said members for sliding movement independent of the other member.

.2. In combination with a cabinet and-the like having a compartment, and a drawer member slidable in said compartment; a work board member slidable in said compartment beneath said drawer member; means whereby said drawer and work board are independently supported within the cabinet for sliding movement; and means connecting said drawer member and board member for simultaneous movement, said means comprising normally engaged post and socket devices on said drawer member and board member; and means accessible within said drawer member adapted to be manually operated to disengage said devices, whereby said drawer member and said board member are disconnected to adapt either of said members for sliding movement independent of the other member.

3. In combination with a cabinet and the like having a compartment, and a drawer member slidable in said compartment; a work board member slidable in said compartment beneath said drawer member; means whereby said drawer and work board are independently supported within the cabinet for sliding movement; means defining a socket on said board member; a post carried by said drawer member and normally engaged in said socket means, whereby said members are adapted for simultaneous movement; and means accessible within said drawer member adapted to be manually operated to displace said post from said socket, whereby to adapt either ofsaid members for sliding movement independent of the other member.

4. In combination with a cabinet and the like having a compartment, and a drawer member slidable in said compartment; a work board member slidable in said compartment beneath said drawer member; means wherebysaid drawer and work board are independently Supported within the cabinet for sliding movement; and means connecting said drawer member and board member for simultaneous movement, said means comprising devices on said drawer member and board member releasably engaged one with the other; and a displaceable tray structure within said drawer member, said tray structure being connected to one of said devices through an opening in the bottom of said drawer member and adapted to be manually operated to disengage said devices, whereby to adapt either of "said members for sliding movement independent of the other member.

I 5. The arrangement defined in claim 4 where in step means are provided to arrest complete displacement of said tray-structure.

6. A cabinet having a drawer compartment; a work board slidable in said compartment; a drawer supported above said board and adapted for simultaneous. sliding movement therewith; means whereby said drawer and work board are independently supported within the cabinet for sliding movement; and coupling means releasably connecting said drawer and board for effecting the aforesaid simultaneous movement, the construction and arrangement of said coupling means being such that, upon release thereof, said drawer and. board are adapted for separate sliding movement into and out of said compartment.

7. A cabinet having a drawer compartment; a work board slidable in said compartment, a drawer supported above said board and adapted vfor simultaneous sliding movement therewith; means whereby said drawer and work board are independently supported within the cabinet for sliding movement; and coupling means releasably connecting said drawer and board for effecting the aforesaid simultaneous movement, said coupling means comprising a displaceable tray in said drawer; a post in the front region of said tray and projecting downward through an aperture in said drawer; and means defining a socket in the front region of said board adapted to receive said post, the arrangement being such that an upward movement of said tray will withdraw said post from said socket thereby adapting said drawer and board for sliding movement independent of each other.

8. The arrangement defined in claim 6 wherein the post is provided with a stop for limiting upward movement of the tray.

9. In combination with a support having a. compartment; a drawer member slidable in said compartment; a work board member slidable in said compartment adjacent said drawer member; means whereby said drawer and work board are independently supported within the cabinet for sliding movement; and latch means releasably connecting said members for simultaneous movement, said latch means when released adapting REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 929,365 Zwiesler July 27, 1909 1,286,079 Pasznicki Nov. 26, 1918 

